Washing machine transmission



June 8, 1943. c. A. MoolE 2,321,502

WASHING MACHINE TRANSMISSION Filed July 11, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fivenz or" C/czr Zea Q. more J 1943- C. A. MOORE 2,321,502

WASHING MACHINE TRANSMISSION Filed July 11, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 8, 1943 iJNi'iE STATES r oe r a WASHING IfiACHTNE TRANSMISSION Charles A. Moore, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Ring- Warner Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois 7 Claims.

This invention relates to rack and pinion drive assemblies and particularly to an improved arrangement of means for selectively moving the rack into and out of driving engagement with the rack-operating pinion, as well as for maintaining the rack resiliently in effective driving engagement with the pinion during the reciprocation of the rack.

It is an object to provide an improved arrangement of the above type wherein the rack is resiliently held in engagement with the associated pinion through the medium of a lost motion resilient connection but wherein the rack is positively withdrawn from the pinion when it is desired to disconnect the same.

It is a more particular object of this invention to provide an improved arrangement of the above type wherein said resilient lost motion means includes a plurality of levers pivoted adjacent the rack and pinion and wherein a special crank arrangement is provided for selectively manually operating at least one of said levers.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved arrangement in accordance with the above having special application to a washing machine transmission for effecting the selective oscillation of the agitator. 7

Other and more particular objects, advantages and uses of my invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof, and wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view with tub removed, of a washing machine assembly incorporating the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation view with parts broken away in order to bring out to advantage the arrangement of the lever and crank assembly forming the subject matter of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken-away view taken substantially on the line,3- -3 of Fig. 1 andbringing out to advantage the present improved lever assembly and manually adjustable crank arrangement for moving said lever assembly for effecting the engagement and disengagement of the rack and pinion; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view corresponding to Fig. 1 but with parts of the Washing machine removed for clarity.

Referring in greater detail to the figures of the drawings, [0 indicates generally the washing machine assembly incorporating a preferred embp im ntof the p es t inve ti h s wash n machine including the usual essential base ll supported on legs [2 carrying a tub 13, containing agitator l4 arranged for reciprocation by a special rack and pinion transmission indicated generally at l5 and including a worm and crank assembly [6 driven by an electric motor I1.

It is to the special arrangement of transmission l5 and the control means therefor that the present invention is particularly directed. A transmission housing 2i) is carried on the under side of the base I I and contains a rack 21 driven by worm and crank assembly 16 and effective to rotate pinion 22 connected with agitator M for causing the alternate reverse arcuate rotation thereof. v

The problem herein particularly dealt with involves the provision of an efficient and effective arrangement for selectively moving rack 2| into engagement with the teeth of pinion 22; maintaining the proper engaged relationship between the rack and pinion during the reciprocation of the rack, at which time it will be seen that certain peculiar phenomena exist due to the angular movement of the rack as well as the reciprocation thereof; and, finally, the proper withdrawal of the rack teeth from the pinion teeth when it is desired to allow the agitator to remain stationary while the rack continues to be reciprocated, as, for example, when the usual wringer mechanismnot described-4s to "be 0perated. I have found that this problem is best solved by an arrangement of levers properly pivoted adjacent the rack and pinion and incorporating a lost motion controlled by spring means incorporating a certain amount of resiliency in such lost motion, and wherein through such resilient lost motion the rack is held resiliently in engagement with the pinion, allowing for unavoidable movement of the rack due to the reciprocation and arcuate movement of the opposite end thereof. It has been found to be of further importance that the arrangement for moving the rack should include a positive .means for withdrawing the same from the pinion and this hasbeen provided in a novel manher.

In the embodiment shown to advantage in'Fig. 3 a connector and guide shoe 25 partiallylembraces the back portion of the rack?! and includes a lip-like retainer portion '26 cooperating with a longitudinally extending roove 2,"! formed in the rack 2| and functioning to main,- tainthe connected relationshipbetween the rack an es wh p rmi t n of the Ieciproca tion of the rack relative to the shoe. Extending from the backside of shoe 25 is a yoke-like portion 28 functioning to support the shoe 25 and rack 2| on the end portion of a reciprocable pin or plunger 29 to which th yoke is connected by a pin 30. Plunger 29 is mounted for reciprocation in a suitable bearing 29a provided in the transmission housing 20, the outer end portion being arranged for connection with a special assembly of pivoted levers including a spring lost motion connection for effecting the selective movement of plunger 29. A first clutch operating lever 35 is pivotally mounted adjacent one end portion thereof on a housing supported pin 35a adjacent the shoe assembly 25. Lever 35 may be of generally U-shape and formed from a metal plate, the opposite terminal portion from support 35a being provided with a tortuous guideway or slot 35b for cooperation with a crank arm in a special manner as will be seen. A second lever 45 is likewise pivotally mounted at a position adjacent the rack and pinion and as shownthis pivot is also 35a. This lever 45 is pivoted at 35a intermediate the ends thereof, one terminal portion 45 protruding into a yoke-like terminal portion 29b of plunger 29 and confined therein by pin 290 for operating the plunger and the other terminal portion 4'! extending to a point where the same normally engages the slotted terminal portion of lever 35, the arrangement giving the general appearance of a pair of tongs or jaws. A coil tension spring has the ends thereof connected respectively to an intermediate portion of lever 35 and to an intermediate portion of lever 45 thus normally urging the stop portion 4'l'of lever 45 in the direction of engagement with the terminal portion of lever 35.

A crank member 6| (se Fig. l) is provided including a first crank arm 62 terminating in a manually engageable knob 63, this crank having a second arm 64, the terminal portion of which engages and cooperates with tortuous guide slot 35b in lever 35. The central axial portion 6la of crank BI is supported in journals Bib and Bic.

It will thus be seen that arcuate movement of crank Bl to the solid line position shown in Fig. 3 will result in the counterclockwise movement of lever 35 as well as lever 45 and the consequent shifting of rack 2! into engagement with pinion 22. Should there be a momentary resistance ofiered to the movement of the rack 2! into engagement with pinion 22, as for example, the teeth failing to mesh properly, then coil tension spring 5| will function by stretching to thus allow crank 64 to move lever 35 to its final position while lever 45 through this resilient connection is allowed to momentarily remain behind the movement of lever 35 to the necessary arcuate extent to thus allow for any failure on the part of the gears to mesh immediately. In a like manner, following the engagement of the teeth of the rack and pinion, stop portion 41 on lever 45 will not move completely into engagement with the terminal portion of lever 35, but there will remain a small gap therebetween thus allowing spring 5| to control the engagement of the rack teeth with the teeth of the pinion and provide compensation for any irregular movements of the rack due to the reciprocation and arcuate movement thereof.

It will be noted that by virtue of the arrangement of the tortuous guide slot 351) and crank arm 64, as well as tension spring 5!, that there is incorporated an over-center effect. In other words, when the crank 6| has been turned past a central position in either arcuate direction, this movement will be continued until th terminal portion of the crank arm 64 reaches the limit of its travel in slot 351). This has the advantage of insuringthe movement to one extreme position or the other and of assisting in resiliently maintaining the rack in engagement with the pinion once the same has been moved into such relation. The actual shape of the irregular guideway 351) may be arrived at either by the out and try method or the same may be readily developed by any well known engineering procedure. The preferred shape of this guide- Way is substantially that shown in Fig. 3.

While I have disclosed my invention in connection with a specific embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of example rather than by way of limitation and that the same is to be defined by the appended claims which should be given a scope as broad as permitted by the prior art.

I claim:

l. The combination with a rotatably mounted pinion and a crank operated reciprocable rack for driving said pinion, of manually operable means for resiliently shifting said rack into driving engagement with said pinion and resiliently maintaining such engagement during reciprocation of said rack, said means comprising a first lever, means adjacent said rack and pinion providing a fixed pivotal support for said lever, cam and follower means located adjacent the terminal portion of said lever remote from said pivotal support for arcuately adjusting said lever about said support from and to positions corresponding to engaged and disengaged positions of said rack and pinion, a second lever pivotally mounted adjacent saidfirst lever support, lost motion connecting means between said first and second levers comprising a spring for urging said levers about said axis in the direction of each other and means connecting said second lever with said rack for moving said rack into and out of engagement with said pinion whereby the r movement of said first lever toward said engaged position acts through saidspring to cause movement of said rack into engagement with said pinion, said spring functioning during the driving operation of said pinion by said rack to absorb movements of said rack caused by the operation of said crank.

2. The combination with a rotatably mounted pinion and a reciprocable rack operated by a first crank for driving said pinion, of manually operable means for resiliently shifting said rack into driving engagement with said pinion and resiliently maintaining such engagement during reciprocation of said rack, said means comprising a lever and spring assembly, including a pair of levers pivoted together and defining a' pair of jaws located remotely from said pivot, a tension coil spring connecting said levers intermediate said pivoted-together portions and said jaw portions for normally urging said jaws in the direction of engagement therebetween, a pivotal support adjacent said rack and pinion for said pivotal connection, one of said levers having a portion extending beyond said pivotal support and having means connecting the same with said rack for moving the same into and out of engagement with said pinion, said other leveribei ng formed with a slotted cam guideway therein, and'a manually operable second crank assembly including a cam follower cooperating with said cam slot for adjusting said lever assembly to' either rackengaged position or rack disengaged position, whereby the movement of said first lever to said on position acts through said spring to cause movement of said rack into engagement with said pinion, said spring functioning during the driving operation of said pinion by said rack to absorb irregular movement of said rack caused by the operation of said first crank, the adjustment of said lever to said ofi position bringing said jaws into engagement and thus positively moving said rack out of contact with said pinion.

'3. In combination, a rotatably mounted pinion and reciprocable rack operated by a motor driven crank for driving said pinion, and means effective in one direction of movement thereof to resiliently shift said rack into engagement with said pinion, said means including a first lever, means adjacent said rack and pinion providing a pivotal support for said lever, said lever being arcuately adjustable about said support from and to positions corresponding to rack engaged position and rack disengaged position, a second lever pivotally mounted adjacent said first lever pivotal support, lost motion connecting means between said first and second levers spaced from said piv otal supports, comprising a spring and means connecting one portion of said second lever with said rack, and means for operating said first lever comprising a manually engageable crank having a manually engageable first arm and a second arm, said first lever being engageable by said second arm for moving the same from and to said rack engaging positions.

4. In combination, a rotatably mounted pinion and reciprocable rack operated by a motor driven crank for driving said pinion, and means efiective in one direction of movement thereof to resiliently shift said rack into engagement with said pinion, said means including a first lever, means adjacent said rack and pinion providing a pivotal support for said lever, said lever being arcuately adjustable about said support from and to positions corresponding to rack engaged position and rack disengaged position, a second lever pivotally mounted adjacent said first lever pivotal support, lost motion connecting means between said first and second levers spaced from said pivotal supports, comprising a spring and means connecting one portion of said second lever with said rack, and manual means for operating said first lever comprising a crank having a first manually engageable crank arm and a second crank arm, said first lever being formed with guide means cooperating with said second crank arm whereby the arcuate movement of said manually engageable arm is efi'ective to cause said second crank arm to move said first lever selectively from and to rack engaging position.

5. In combination with a rotatably mounted pinion and reciprocable rack operated by a motor driven crank for driving said pinion, of manually operable means efiective in one direction of movement thereof to resiliently move said rack into engagement with said pinion, maintaining such resilient engagement and further effective in the reverse direction of movement thereof to positively withdraw said rack from engagement with said pinion, said means comprising a first lever, means adjacent said rack and pinion providing a fixed pivotal support for said lever, said lever being arcuately adjustable about said support from and to positions corresponding to rack engaged position and rack disengaged position, respectively, a second lever, means providing a fixed pivotal support for said second lever adjacent said first lever support, means providing a lost motion connection between said first and second levers spaced from said pivotal supporting means including a spring, means supportably guiding and connecting said rack with a portion of said second lever spaced from said pivotal support, and means defining a manually operable crank having a first manually engageable arm for arcu. ately adjusting said crank and a second arm, said first lever being formed with a guideway cooperating with said second crank arm whereby the movement of said crank in the rack engaging direction acts through said spring to cause movement of .said rack into engagement with said pinion, said spring functioning during the driving operation of said pinion by said rack to absorb movements of said rack caused by the operation of said first named crank.

6. The combination with a rotatably mounted pinion and reciprocable rack operated by a motor driven crank for driving said pinion, of manually operable means effective in one direction of movement thereof to resiliently move said rack into engagement with said pinion and maintain said engagement and being further effective in the reverse direction of movement thereof to positively withdraw said rack from engagement with said pinion, said means comprising a first lever, means adjacent said rack and pinions forming a fixed pivotal support for a first portion of said lever, said lever being arcuately adjustable about said support from and to positions corresponding to rack engaged position and rack disengaged position, respectively, a second lever pivotally supported intermediate the ends thereof on said fixed pivotal support, stop means on one of said levers effective to contact the other lever at a position spaced from said pivotal support for limiting the arcuate movement of said levers in the direction of one another, a coiled tension spring connecting said levers at points spaced from said support, means connecting said second lever with said rack and a manually operable crank having a first manually engageable arm for arcuately adjusting the same and a second arm, said first lever being formed with a slotted guideway cooperating with said second crank arm whereby the arcuate adjustment of said first manually engageable crank arm acts through said second crank arm, said first lever, said spring, said second lever and said connecting means to move said rack into engagement with said pinion, said spring acting to absorb angular movements of said rack caused by the operation of said motor driven crank, the adjustment of said manual crank lever in the opposite direction being eifective to bring said stop means into engagement following which said rack is positively moved out of contact with said pinion.

7. The combination with a rotatably mounted pinion and a reciprocable rack operated by a motor driven crank for driving said pinion, of manually operable means effective in one direction of movement thereof to resiliently shift said rack into engagement with said pinion, resiliently maintain such engagement and being further effective in the reverse direction of movement to positively withdraw said rack from engagement with said pinion, said means comprising a first lever, means adjacent said rack and pinion providing a fixed pivotal support for said lever, said lever being arcuately adjustable about said support to and from positions corresponding to rack engaged position and rack disengaged position respectively, a second lever pivoted intermediate the ends thereof on said pivotal support and having a first arm portion extending from said support and arranged to be moved arcuately thereabout into contact with said first named lever, said second named lever having a second arm portion thereof extending from, said pivotal support in the opposite direction, means connecting said second arm portion with said rack, a coiled tension spring connecting said first and second levers and urging the same about said pivotal support in the direction of one another, a circuitous guide slot formed in said first named lever at a position spaced on the opposite side of said spring means from said pivotal support and a manually operable crank assembly including a first manually engageable crank arm and a. sec- 0nd crank arm, said second crank arm being arranged for guided reception within said circuitous guideway in said first lever, whereby the arcuate adjustment of said manually engageable arm is effective to cause said second crank arm to move said first lever selectively from rack engaging position to rack disengaging position, said spring, crank and circuitous guide being efiective to produce an overcenter action whereby adjustment of said second crank arm past the mid-position thereof in either direction results in the same being moved automatically to the corresponding extreme terminal portion of the guideway.

C. A. MOORE. 

